"It is too little too late from the Abbott Government," said Nikola Casule, climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace.
The government has reportedly announced a cut to Australia's carbon emissions of between 26 and 28 per cent by 2030, far below what the country's contribution should be to assist in keeping global warming to under 2 degrees. Other major economies have already announced their commitments.
"This is the latest failure of the Abbott government to take climate change seriously.
"This is reflected by their insistence on supporting the coal industry when other countries are moving to renewables.
"With this target, Prime Minister Tony Abbott and the cabinet are thumbing their collective noses at the concerns of ordinary Australians.
"According to the Climate Institute's poll this week two thirds of Australians think climate change should be taken more seriously.
"All we have is doublespeak being shopped around by the Abbott government.
"The government is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the Australian public and the international community by using Australia's 2005 emissions levels as the benchmark for cutting emissions.
"Australia's greenhouse gas emissions were unusually high in 2005, so we are in effect promising less of a cut than is needed.
"Australia's stance on climate change is an international embarrassment and with every passing day we become more isolated from the rest of the world," concluded Casule.
ENDS
Background:
Greenpeace Australia Pacific is calling for the following targets in order to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees:
• 40 – 60 per cent reduction by 2025 from 2000 levels;
• 60 – 80 per cent reduction by 2030 from 2000 levels; and
• Zero net emissions by 2040.